When We Were Kings
by maru-chan
Summary: These are the events that led up to the confrontation between Seto and Yami in Ancient Egypt.
1. Prolouge

When We Were Kings - by Maru-chan  
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Disclaimer - Roses are red, violets are blue; I no own, so you no sue.  
  
This fic is sort of the prologue to the flash backs in "The Past is Prologue". Set in ancient Egypt, it's the events that led to the final confrontation between Kaiba and Yami. A fair warning: this is PG-13 for language and shonen ai (malexmale) between some of the characters. Will all homophobes please exit and be polite enough not to flame?  
  
To those that stay, please enjoy the fic and (please) review.  
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Prologue  
  
The sun had set many hours before, but Thebes, City of Life, was an oasis of light in the darkness. Citizens strolled without fear beneath the watch of the city guard, and every street was brightly lit with torches and lamps. And no place in the city shone more than Pharaoh's palace, like a sparkling jewel set in gold.   
  
Within the palace, lamps of scented oil burned, their light setting the little alabaster statues of the gods aglow. Government scribes, soldiers, and servants stepped quietly in the shadow of walls and columns carved with the glory of Egypt. In chambers with gilded walls, the silk and jewel decked aristocracy feasted and was entertained by acrobats and magicians.  
  
Yet in all the splendor and life in the palace, there was a distinct absence of life - or, rather, of certain lives. The true peers of the realm, including Pharaoh himself, were not among those happy revelers. But one look out into Pharaoh's private gardens, which, alone in all the city, were dim and shadowy, would have found the group escaping into the dark night beyond.  
  
Distinctive tricolor-ed hair bound in a simple turban, and royal silks and jewels traded for plain linen and a single brass pendent, Pharaoh Yamen lead the way into the dark out skirts of the city, the Shadows. Behind him, similarly dressed in plain linen kilts and wraps, trailed the highest members of his court, his best friends, and, on nights like tonight, his accomplices.  
  
Seti, Pharaoh's Chief Vizier, cursed softly as he leaped from the wall of Pharaoh's gardens. He really didn't enjoy these jaunts into the city that much, and wouldn't go if it wasn't for Yamen. He usually found himself doing many unusual things for Yamen.  
  
Brushing dark brown hair out of his sapphire eyes as he landed, Seti realized that only Jahra, High General of Egypt, was still in the alley, sun-blond hair flopping into his eyes as he bent to retie his sandals. ""Where are the others?"  
  
Jahra looked up, no happier than Seti that Yamen had asked him to stay behind and wait. "His Highness," Seti winced at Jahra's mocking tone, "took the others ahead to the God's Eye. He made me wait for you, slow-poke."  
  
His sandals tied, Jahra stood, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and trotted down the alley way. "Are you coming or not?"  
  
Seti repressed the urge to strangle the annoying general, if only because he could never find his way through the rat warren that was the Shadows. Quickly catching up to Jahra, Seti settled into a steady trot, heading every deeper into the dark streets and alleys that were home to the worst thieves, assassins, prostitutes -  
  
" - And the best beer in the city!"  
  
Some hours earlier, Seti and Jahra had arrived at the God's Eye, the most reputable disreputable tavern in the Shadows, and joined Yami at a small table near the bar. Shortly after they were joined by Hemaka, High Priest of Ra, easily the most undistinguishable member of their group, except for his insistence in sweeping his dark brown hair forward into a point.  
  
Trailing behind him, bearing a heavy pitcher of beer in one hand and clutching a set of tumblers in the other, was Asru, Pharaoh's Chief Scribe, her cobalt eyes narrowed in only-half mocking anger. "I could use a little help here, guys."  
  
Laughing, Yamen stood, reaching across Seti to accept the unwieldy pitcher. "Here, Asru, not all of us are as absent minded as Hemaka." Seti blushed deep red as Yamen practically laid himself across his lap, and then quickly sat back, into the shadow before the others could notice.  
  
Asru sat down, managing to beam at Yamen and scowl at the rest of the boys simultaneously. "Thanks Yami, at least some people don't forget themselves completely when they're away from home." Hemaka and Jahra pulled mocking faces at Asru, which melted lightning fast into angelic innocence when she darted her eyes at them.  
  
Yamen and Seti watched this exchange with passive faces, calmly pouring their drinks from the pitcher before it was drained by Hemaka and Jahra. As he handed Seti his tumbler, Yamen locked eyes with him, instantly, as always, reading Seti's thoughts in his gaze.  
  
It had always been that way with them, always that strange link between them; it was one of the reasons they had always been the best of friends. A slow smile crept onto their faces, expressions mirroring each other, eyes sparkling till they could hold back no longer - and burst into loud laughter.  
  
Their friends turned amused looks on them - they were used to such out burst, the knowing looks, and whole conversations in a minute. For Hemaka and Jahra, however, the status of their dry tumblers was of more concern, and they quickly did their own double act by leaping simultaneously across the table and grasping for the pitcher.  
  
Despite obvious intentions, what they managed to do was over turn the table and land tangled together with Seti and Yamen in a puddle of beer. Amid the laughter of the taverns other patrons, Asru sighed, then joined in as she watched a bemused Yamen restrain a frantic Jahra from slurping beer off the floor.  
  
"Why do all our nights out start like this?"  
  
In the wee hours of the morning, a very drunk Asru, a slightly less drunk Hemaka and Jahra, and a mostly sober Seti and Yamen set out from the God's Eye, weaving tipsily through the Shadows towards the palace. Asru tripped giddily in the lead, brown hair flying in all directions as she tripped down the street. Right behind her, Jahra and Hemaka shambled along, serenading the Shadows' denizens with the lewdest songs they knew.  
  
Trailing along behind their exuberant friends, Yamen and Seti walked with the too careful steadiness of people not quite drunk enough to shamble or trip. Yamen was happily tired, as always after their "nights on the town". He leaned companionable against Seti, especially glad to be with him.  
  
//It always ends up being just the two of us, doesn't it? And it is always the best part of the night. //  
  
Seti was more than glad to be with Yamen; for these few moments alone with the handsome Pharaoh, he'd face worse than Jahra and Hamaka's yowling. He was also he'd kept from drinking too much tonight, because having Yamen so close was giving him very strange ideas. Seti always enjoyed being near Yamen, but lately he'd found himself noticing new things about his best friend.  
  
Yamen stopped suddenly, head tilted back, body tense. He had paused in front of an alley, one of the dozens of dank holes in the wall that slashed the Shadows. "Seti, did you hear that?"  
  
Seti shook his head, "no" and cleared those strange thoughts from his mind as he turned, cocking his ears towards the alley and straining his hearing. In the Shadows, any noise could mean an attack, and zoning out could cost you your life.  
  
Yamen stepped back, away from the opening to the alley. He turned his face back to Seti, shaking his head, setting the turban askew, and allowing a few blond-red-black spikes to escape and flop into his ruby eyes. "I guess it was nothing."  
  
Seti reached out to brush the soft strands out of Yamen's face, when the young Pharaoh jerked his head up. "There it is again!" He turned round, and dashed into the alley without looking back, rushing towards the origin of the soft sobs and whimpers that even Seti could hear now.  
  
Seti followed Yamen into the dark alley, nose wrinkling at the sour fetid smell that rose up around him. He supposed he could just add "running through stinking alley" to the list of things he did for Yamen. Seti lost sight of the young Pharaoh as he ducked into a door way, the source of the soft cries.  
  
"Are you alright, little one?"  
  
A small boy lay huddled on the floor, weeping softly, dressed in dirty rags. Yamen bent over, gently laying his hand on the other's shoulder. Suddenly, the boy jerked their head up, and Yamen found himself staring into the most sorrowful amethyst eyes imaginable.  
  
Without thinking about anything except the pain in the other boy's eyes, Yamen knelt on the floor and took him into his arms, gently rubbing the smaller one's thin back. Seti watched from the doorway, his face contorted in a scowl as he watched Yamen hug the other boy to him, tenderly soothing his cries.  
  
As the boy's crying subsided, Yamen gently eased away, a slight shiver moving along his spine as he took in the boy's remarkable resemblance to him. Behind him, he heard Seti gasp as he, too, noticed the eerie similarity between the Pharaoh and the peasant boy.  
  
Indeed, except for a fragility that contrasted sharply with Yamen's confident ease, the boy that knelt on before them might pass for the Pharaoh's twin. But at the moment, Yamen was more concerned about the pain and anguish in the boy's face. "Little one, why are you weeping?"  
  
The younger boy wiped his tear stained cheeks with a grubby hand. "M-my g-grandfather died -" He managed to reply, but then his voice was choked by sobs. "I -I h-h-have no pl-place to go -" He broke down completely once more, collapsing into Yamen's arms as his thin body shook with tears.  
  
Yamen sighed, lifting his head to look at Seti. Their eyes locked, and Seti shook his head, "no", but the Pharaoh only narrowed his eyes defiantly before truing back to the small boy. Cupping his chin in one hand, Yamen lifted the boy's head till their eyes met. There was a familiar shiver between them, one Yamen had only ever before experience from Seti.  
  
//Its like I know him . . . but how . . . ?//  
  
Pushing the question from his mind, Yamen released the boy's chin, but kept their eyes locked. "What is your name, little one?" The boy swallowed, blinking away tears. His voice was no longer broken by sobs, but still soft and shaky. "It's Yumagi, b-but grandfather always c-called me Yugi."  
  
Pharaoh smiled softly, dropping his rich mellow voice to a whisper. "Yugi, would you like to come and stay with me?" He almost laughed at the dumbstruck expression on the small one's face. Yugi's mouth open and closed several times, but he could make no reply but to nod his head 'yes" emphatically.  
  
"Let's go home then." 


	2. Scroll I

When We Were Kings - by Maru-chan  
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Disclaimer - Roses are red, violets are blue; I no own, so you no sue.  
  
This fic is sort of the prologue to the flash backs in "The Past is Prologue". Set in ancient Egypt, these are the events that led to the final confrontation between Kaiba and Yami.   
  
The following chapters are going to be written in the first person (from the character's point-of-view). The P.O.V.'s will switch between Yami, Yugi, and Seto.  
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Scroll I  
  
I don't think I have ever been more terrified in my entire life. I've faced down armies of invaders, power hungry nobles, assassins, and countless duel opponents, but none has ever inspired this level of fear in my heart. I am standing at the entrance to me sleeping chamber, staring at the small boy sleeping at the foot of my bed, but I feel as if I am standing at the edge of precipice, about to fall into a bottom-less abyss.  
  
Seti's words have already come back to haunt me. What am I going to do with Yugi? I don't worry about the boy's honesty - just by looking into his royal purple eyes, I know he would never betray me. But that knowledge only serves to make me more uncertain.  
  
As Pharaoh, I am responsible for the well being of the entire nation of Khem*, from the lower delta to the upper cataracts. It is my duty, no matter how much it wearies me. But I sense that what bond me to this young boy goes beyond the call of my duty to my people; I will never forgive myself if I fail my little Yugi.   
  
I enter the chamber and go to stand over the boy. My servants have seen to it that he was bathed, and his skin is actually quite pale beneath all the dirt and grime. His hair, I can see now, is almost exactly like my own, except for having fewer golden spikes. His eyes flutter, then open slowly, and he looks confused for a moment, before looking up, smiling, to face me.  
  
I feel a familiar shiver as our eyes meet, and I am suddenly filled with a fierce determination to make sure that this boy, that my Yugi will never again know suffering.   
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It's been only a few weeks since Pharaoh Yami took me in, but it feels like a life time. Looking back, I feel like all my memories of the Shadows were a bad dream, a bad dream that ended when Yami saved me. I think, now, that Yami must have been a gift from the gods.  
  
It would have been enough to come to his palace as a servant, or even a slave, but instead I am treated as an imakhu, one of the "honored ones", Yami's friends and family. Over the past few weeks, he's made sure that I'm always happy, that I have a good life here. I felt guilty at first, because I thought I was a bother to him, but then, a few days after I first came, he called me to him in his private gardens.  
  
Some messengers from the nomarchs of lower Khem had come to the palace, and they'd been talking to Yami and his councilors for most of the day. I didn't even see him at noon, when he usually came to take a meal with me in his suite. I found Yami sitting in a dark part of the garden, where the palms clumped close together and blocked out most of the sun.  
  
He looked different, sitting there, on the ground, with his proud head bowed so that his bangs hid his face. Yami looked . . . tired, or saddened by something. I went to him, a little scared about what could bring his to this state. Before I knew what was happening, Yami was in my arms, clinging to me as he repeated what the messengers had told him.  
  
A band of sorcerers was coming together in lower Khem, and they were terrorizing the villages there with monsters from the Shadow Realm. This was not the first time Yami had heard about this, but he had put it off before, to deal with riots in upper Khem. He hadn't counted on the sorcerers gathering power so quickly.  
  
It had started with a few small villages, a few small events - fires, lost herds, or spoilt crops that were easily dealt with. Then, five days ago, the sorcerers attacked the town of Am-Shera; they left nothing but the ashes of the dead. Yami blamed himself for the deaths; he'd failed his people.  
  
When Yami pulled away, there were tears in his dulled ruby eyes, and I felt a flash of fire go through my heart.   
  
"It's not your fault - you couldn't have known that they had so much power. You haven't failed anyone; every one thinks you're a great Pharaoh. You're brave, and smart, and kind and I know it doesn't matter what I say but . . . "  
  
Yami brushed the tears from his eyes then, and looked hard into mine.   
  
"What you say does matter - you matter to me Yugi, more then you know. I would not have you here with me if I - if you didn't matter to me."  
  
I blushed at that and tried to stammer out a reply, but Yami put his finger to my lips to quiet me. He leaned forward till our bangs tangled and our foreheads met.   
  
"I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you Yugi; your pure heart and brave soul are the greatest gifts the gods have ever given me."  
  
Strange warmth went through me as Yami said this, so like what I thought about him. I supposed this meant the gods intended us to be together, the light and the dark, but I really didn't care as long as I had Yami; he was all that matter to me right now. I don't know how long we sat there, totally silent, but then suddenly Yami got up, pulling me with him.  
  
Something moving in the garden caught my eye, but then Yami took my hand, and we went back to the palace. He left me in my room, promising to return at sun set to eat with me. Still, after Yami left, I swear could still feel him, a steady presence next to me.  
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Only a few weeks and already that brat has managed to become Yamen's pet. Yamen doesn't even care about his reputation in court. It's like he doesn't even hear what people say about them - about Yumagi sharing the Pharaoh's suite, about Yumagi sleeping in Pharaoh's chamber. No, Yamen doesn't care about anything but that boy now.  
  
It's not fair. Why should this boy, this gutter brat, become Yamen's favorite? Why does Yamen go to him, turn to him for support, when I am always left alone? Even when I'm standing right in front of him, he still goes off to find his pet.  
Like that day . . .   
  
I followed Yamen to his garden, thought now I wish I hadn't. He was meeting Yumagi there, of course. I knew this, but I still followed, like the fool that I am. I saw Yamen shed his frustrated tears, I saw the brat offer his meaningless comfort - and I saw Yamen caress his face, holding him close. I wanted nothing more than to kill the insolent little whelp right then and there.  
  
After that, I realized how things stood between us. We are rivals, Yumagi and I, but he will not last long. In the end, things will be as they were before, with Yamen turning always to his High Vizier, his confident, his best friend; me. Yes, Yumagi's time in Yamen's world will soon come to an end.  
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I have given my Yugi every privilege enjoyed by an imakhu; I have even begun the preparation for a formal ceremony initiating him as a "Prince of Khem" to be held next week. I thought I was doing everything I could to make sure he had the best of everything. Apparently, several someone's felt otherwise.  
  
I should have known something was brewing when I stopped seeing as much of my friends as I had before Yugi came. True, I was rather preoccupied with getting Yugi settled into the palace, but their continued absence from anything other than the perfunctory audiences worried me.  
  
I had thought that maybe they, like Seti, disliked Yugi's presence in the palace because he was a commoner. I realized how wrong I was when Asru, Hemaka, and Jahra ambushed me in the throne room after my talk with Yugi in the garden.  
  
First Asru came forward. "Yami can you explain to me why a boy who is about to become an imakhu can't read or write in Kheresh; especially when the chief scribe of Khem happens to be one of your best friends?"  
  
Be fore I could stammer out a reply, Hemaka moved in from my right. "And, oh Pharaoh, why does Yugi not know anything about Khem's history, or astronomy, or biology, or -"  
  
"- Or about fightin'?" Jahra cut in, finishing the siege by hemming me in from the left. "How come he doesn't even know how to defend himself from an attacker, when you have the best fighter in Khem right here in front of you?"  
  
I have to admit, I was indignant at first. To have these three of all people lecture me on my shortcomings with Yugi - but Jahra's victory poise ruined the seriousness of the moment, and I had to chuckle be fore asking some pressing questions.  
  
"And how is it that you three know Yugi doesn't know these things?"  
  
I chuckled a little more as Hemaka and Jahra exchanges glances before shoving Asru to the front once more. She mutter something that sounded like 'cowards', before turning her annoyed cobalt eyes back to me. "Yami, haven't your wondered where we've been the past few weeks?"  
  
I had, very recently in fact, but before I could say so, Hemaka stepped in, dark green eyes closed, and arms folded as if he were lecturing a lazy acolyte. "We've been spending time with Yugi, seeing as how you leave him all by himself most of the day. We've learned a lot about him and -"  
  
Now Jahra barged in again, sandy blond hair flopping in exasperation. "- Didn't you think the kid might get bored, waitin' for you to find some time for him, your Highness? I mean, he's crazy about being here and all, but don't you think he should be doing something besides sittin' in the lap of luxury all day?"  
  
I had a very good idea where this was going, and so I asked the most obvious question.   
  
"And what exactly do you three want me to do about it?"  
  
Not surprisingly, Asru answered, casually tossing her brown locks over her shoulder. "We don't want you to do anything at all. Hemaka, Jahra and I will be the ones giving him lessons. I will instruct him in Kheresh in the afternoon, then -"  
  
Hemaka stepped up, a very smug look on his face. "- Then I'll teach him about plants and animals in the evening; just till he can read, then we'll start on history texts and astronomy. Oh, and Jahra will -"  
  
"I'll take him in the morning, to train in Hashran. He's pretty small, but that won't matter once he gets the hang of the staff; then I'll get him a nice set of . . . knives and . . ." Jahra wound down, brown nervous eyes wide, as he noticed the frown on my face.  
  
Although I had already been considering asking them to do something like this for Yugi, I was not pleased by the schedule they were setting, or by the fact that they had excluded me from their plans completely.  
  
"And then *I* will be the one waiting for Yugi to have time for me?" I was using my most imperious tone, and I knew that my words sounded sulky, but the prospect of having them take up all of my Yugi's time was annoying, to say the least.  
  
"No," Asru proceeded calmly, "you will have Yugi at night, when you instruct him in magic."  
  
I looked at her in utter disbelief - how was it possible for Yugi to have powers? Only those who shared the royal blood could be true sorcerers, and one sorcerer could always sense the aura power of another. Yugi can't have powers; I would have sensed something by now . . .   
  
"You're more alike than you know, Yamen," Hemaka explained, "because we've seen him show the same mind powers you do."  
  
"Yeah, let me tell ya, it was really creepy," Jahra recounted with a mock shudder, "to have him look at us and know what we were thinking, like you always do."  
  
Looking back, I thought over the times I had spoken with Yugi. Had I really spoken aloud, or had I just spoken mind-to-mind, as I do with Seti? There was that familiar shiver whenever he was near; could that have been the feel of his power?  
  
These questions must have been written on my face, for Asru gently took my hand, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Go to him Yami. You have to talk to him about this, now." She steeped back, turning to follow Hemaka and Jahra out of the room.  
  
The door closed, and I was alone with my thoughts once more. It was dark now, with only the dim light of a few lamps to light the chamber now that the sun had set. Sun set . . . I sprang from the throne, remembering that I was supposed to be eating with Yugi right now. If I didn't hurry, he'd start to worry, and I hate to see him upset over me, especially since I don't guard my emotions around him when he is in that state.  
  
I thought again of that day in the garden, when I'd come so close to telling him - telling him what? Even I wasn't sure what I felt for him. I have only known him a few weeks, but at times, when we are alone, it feels as if we have never been apart. I know what I feel for him goes beyond friendship, but -  
  
"Hey, watch where yer - oh, sorry Yamen." Jahra helps me up off the floor after colliding with me at the door to my suite. "I was just letting Yugi know you're okay with the lessons - I be by for 'im in the mornin'; 'night Yamen."  
  
Dazed, and not simply from the crash, I stumble into my chambers with out saying goodbye. As I enter, I realize that the quiet evening I had in mind is not going to happen. Asru was right; I have to talk with Yugi about his powers, now. And I have to figure out exactly how I feel about him - and whether or not he feels the same way about me.  
  
I was wrong; the thought that Yugi doesn't feel the same way about me is the most terrifying thing that I have ever faced.  
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(*) - Literally "the black land"; the name used by the Ancient Egyptians for their country, because of the rich black silt left by the flooding of the Nile each year. 


End file.
